We have eaten here many times over the years. The service was deplorable. We had a party of 8 and not dish was satisfactory. We will be taking out business to Castle Hill next door.
(1)
Arlynn B.
Great views, good service and reasonable portions. Went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, it was quite busy although the season is over. Ordered the open faced roast turkey sandwich and my friend ordered the braised beef short rib. My sandwich was delicious, my only complaint is that the cranberry sauce was a little overwhelming. My friend was very pleased with his order. The room itself is decorated after the name, don't know if everyone is fan of the safari... I would go back to try their cocktails, as we just ordered wine.
(4)
MICHELE M.
Nice ambiance, lobster roll on a very thick bun so while plentiful was a bit much ... Salad on the side made it less filling.
(3)
Kris D.
A Romantic quite lunch. The views are breathtaking! The Safari room has a warm & welcoming atmosphere. The decor is Safari like with large palms, earth tones & bamboo. The sun warms & brightens the dinning room. Safari inspired stools line the restaurant length bar across from the dinning room. The Oceancliff hotel is a place that is very dear to my heart, I said "I do" to my soul mate here. We enjoyed a prix fixe lunch during Newport restaurant week. I enjoyed the potato soup, open face turkey with cranberry & pumpkin creme brulee. My hubby loved his fresh salad with apples & pecans, short rib, & the bread pudding. A very tasty, romantic, leisurely lunch is exactly what was needed! After wards we walked around the property and soaked up the sunny, ocean breezes.
(5)
Jenn P.
I am surprised this place only has a few reviews thus far,,, I was vacationing back east with a friend and spent the last leg of my trip in Newport RI. This restaurant was recommended by the concierge at our hotel so we decided to give it a shot. After 30 minutes of winding roads through an upscale neighborhood we came across the Oceancliff, the hotel and event venue that has the Safari Room. The restaurant has a great location. While there is a pseudo indoors section (A roof, but no walls) they have an amazing patio that offers a fantastic view of the water. The airy, open, dimly lit setting makes the restaurant seem like something you would see, well on a safari haha. We were seated promptly and started with some drinks. The mojito was excellent and my friend said the white wine was nice as well. They start you with a basic bread basket served with olive oil, parmesan, and butter. Nothing spectacular, but hey its bread. For starters I had the lobster bisque which was excellent and served with actual large chunks of main lobster. As my main course I had one of the specials. A Chilean sea bass with asparagus, served on a bed of brown rice. While good, it didn't blow me away. The chili style sauce they served on the sea bass was a bit odd. My friend had the lobster mac and cheese and loved it. Our server was a younger gentlemen who looked about high school age, but he was extremely nice and continually checked up on us. My only complaint about this restaurant was that I left with a good 20 mosquito bites. My friend jokingly told everyone I had contracted chicken pox (Very funny) While I know this is not necessarily the restaurants fault, there are a number of things they could try/do to reduce this problem. Overall, I liked Safari room. If I ever find myself in RI again, I would come back.
(4)
TJ S.
The view and atmosphere is fantastic. The food had been on the great side as far as I can remember, but lately, I noticed that the service has been dicey lately. Perhaps that is because of the wedding receptions that was being held at the same time, where most of the staff are diverted from the dining area. I hope that is not the general trend. My faves are the lump crab cakes with jicama slaw, and the chorizo and littleneck clams - the quintessential RI dishes.
(3)
Tawana B.
Great service,awesome views. Crab cakes and cheese board were awesome. Nice place to stop in between lunch and dinner. They offer nice combo plates of food and wine pairings. Hard to get a reservation but we walked in and got a table right away.
(4)
Amber A.
Everytime I go to Safari Room I love it a little bit more! The first time was for my girlfriends birthday, I had called ahead made reservations and asked the hostess to make sure the check was not dropped at the table and to know I was going to slip her a Tiffany & Co box for them to incorporate with her dessert of choice. Unfortunately the host that was on the night I came was not aware and didnt end up taking the card nor box. I had to "go to the bathroom" just to make sure my server was aware. The food was absolutely amazing, I had steak, the margarita pizza and penne with pomodoro sauce, dessert was excellent, blueberry cheesecake! The overall experience was excellent but the lack of communication for the surprise I had was eery. Kirk is an amazing server and his diversity makes the Safari Room excellent! Just make sure you tell them you're in a hurry or else everything will be laid back and relaxed.
(4)
Timothy M.
Worst mojito in my entire life. I don't think it was anything but line seltzer water. It wasn't muddled either. Bloody Mary below par. Clam chowda was cold and tasted like Cisco canned chowda. Crab cakes were good but the service was below par. I had 3 drinks trying to search for at least one good drink alas they were lacking. Bartenders need some serious training.
(1)
Melissa M.
You can't beat the gorgeous Narragansett Bay views while having drinks and apps on the deck at The Safari Room. Bobby, took great care of my husband and I while we reminisced about our recent wedding at Oceancliff, and saw some familiar faces that made our special day so perfect! So many great things to say about OC and The Safari Room, we will definitely be back to enjoy the service, food & views!
(4)
Stacey K.
Large portions,great view and good service! A little over priced but a good options if you want to stay near the hotel.
(4)
Jason B.
Beautiful views especially for sunset, both out on the terrace or under the awning. Understandably, this place primarily is for wedding or events, but if I had a wedding or event, I probably would be just as disappointed, except for the views. Went on 7/29, a weekday evening and it was not really busy, maybe a little over a dozen tables were seated and there was a small corporate function inside. It seemed to have plenty of staff. Waited over 10 minutes for our server to come by initially, waited another 20 minutes for cocktails and over 15 minutes for Crab cake appetizer which was very good and worth it. Rob, our server was unfortunately awkward and ill-trained in semi-fine dining, shirt hanging out, unbuttoned like it was a club. Not meaning to be pretentious, but standards should not allow this when working with the public. Rob is handsome, but some more training with details in the menu if he is to do more than serve banquet-style. Hopefully this is not the norm here. Entree quality (Salmon and Ahi Tuna) was good, but just that,.... passable. Decent size portion, but I like to cook and am not trained in culinary arts, I could have easily done the same sauces at home, or better, Not worth the $30 price, but I guess you are paying for the location. Probably will return and give it another chance for lunch, however.
(3)
Holly S.
Pretzel stick were described to me as sticks of dough, I was hysterical. Bartender was cute, might need to brush up on his culinary views though! They were ok, the tips of each one were hard but inside soft enough I guess. But was there for the drinks anyway! That was just fine thanku very much!
(4)
Frank S.
I took my children (12 and 14) for the Thursday night steak special ($20 for 16 oz sirloin steak and fries!). The food was fabulous and the waiter was prepared to address their food allergies based on a comment I left on my Open Table reservation. It is so nice not to have to explain everything twice. The waiter was attentive, but it too.. Of course, the view was superb. Keep up the good work Safari Room.
(5)
Jane H.
If they didn't have this setting going for them, it'd probably be a 3. But they DO have this setting. Small section of lawn down to the water w/Adirondack chairs. You can sit outside to eat in all kinds of weather as you're under a large covered....pavilion I guess is the best way to explain it. So pretty. Food was good, not great. Prices are in line w/the area and menu.
(4)
Phyllis M.
Went to The Safari Room for Restaurant Week. Food was amazing large portions.I had the roasted beet and granny Apple salad. Broiled lamb chops, hubby had calamari seared George's bank sea scallops. We both had strawberry vanilla bean and basil tart. Service was great, they also offered discounted bottles of wine. Good experience.
(5)
Mac O.
Meh. A tepid three stars. If you want to enjoy upscale cocktails and bar bites in a swanky setting right along Ocean Drive with water views, your options are The Inn at Castle Hill or here, The Safari Room at Oceancliff. In all the years I've been visiting my Newport family, I've never once come to the Safari Room -- and the Grands' house is literally a quarter mile up the road (of all things, it took the wedding of one of husband's rand-o friend's to get me here). It's good to know I wasn't missing out this whole time. The ambiance, views, and drinks just aren't as good as their competitor's. I give them extra credit because no view of the harbor is a *bad* view, but really, that doesn't have a whole lot to do with The Safari Room itself. I'll continue walking the extra five minutes to Castle Hill instead.
(3)
Nancy S.
Five plus two and a half equals seven and a half. Then divided by two it equals just enough to push it into the four category. The five is for the view; it is spectacular. So much so that I questioned whether or not I wanted to write this review since I still want to be able to get my favorite seats at the outdoor bar. Two and a half is for the food. Most things are edible but not noteworthy. (Whatever you do, do NOT order the pretzel appetizer though. It is horrid. I'm not sure how anyone can mess up a pretzel but anyways...) The venue is really a banquet hall for weddings, and invariably you'll encounter one on weekend evenings. Timeshare units are also on grounds filled with vacationers. Those groups aside, it is my favorite place to go for a drink on a hot summer night in Newport. No worries about parking and a beautiful setting. I recommend that you go before or after your dinner elsewhere.
(4)
Brittany C.
Absolutely gorgeous views. They really can't be beat. The cocktails are inventive and delicious, and the service is quite good. The menu could use a little work--the price point seems a little high for the quality of the food, to be honest. I've ordered an absolutely delicious omelet for lunch, and also had their seared tuna sandwich. The tuna sandwich left a bit to be desired. The tuna was seared well and was flavorful, but the bread overwhelmed the delicate fish, and the inclusion of bacon left me puzzled. Bacon is such a strong flavor...wouldn't you want the fish to shine? Either way, the fries are good :) If you have an afternoon free and want to drink some wine and watch the boats go by, you can't beat The Safari Room.
(3)
Alex C.
I came here with my family for our nice meal out on our last night of vacation. The food and wine were good - I ordered the house salad and ahi tuna. The views were spectacular. But I am only giving it three stars because of the service. First of all, we had made a reservation well in advance for 5 people. When we arrived, they seemed surprised that we were 5 instead of 4, and so they just tacked on an extra chair on the corner of a 4 person table. That was annoying for a meal where we planned to have a few courses and splurge, but I could have let that slide. The real problem was with our server. It took about 15 minutes for anyone to come out and take our drink order. Then, every time she would serve us something, she would ask us to pass things around to the other side of the table, rather than walking around to the other side herself. This meant that we were constantly handling glasses, pouring wine, and passing plates around. It was disruptive and not what I would expect for a splurge fancy meal. we had a few bottles of wine and she never came over and topped up glasses, and often we were left sitting with an empty bottle of wine for 10+ minutes at a time. I'm not a very picky person, but when I spend a few hundred dollars on dinner, I expect it not to have to do all the work.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Coat Check : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Diane S.
We have eaten here many times over the years. The service was deplorable. We had a party of 8 and not dish was satisfactory. We will be taking out business to Castle Hill next door.
(1)Arlynn B.
Great views, good service and reasonable portions. Went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, it was quite busy although the season is over. Ordered the open faced roast turkey sandwich and my friend ordered the braised beef short rib. My sandwich was delicious, my only complaint is that the cranberry sauce was a little overwhelming. My friend was very pleased with his order. The room itself is decorated after the name, don't know if everyone is fan of the safari... I would go back to try their cocktails, as we just ordered wine.
(4)MICHELE M.
Nice ambiance, lobster roll on a very thick bun so while plentiful was a bit much ... Salad on the side made it less filling.
(3)Kris D.
A Romantic quite lunch. The views are breathtaking! The Safari room has a warm & welcoming atmosphere. The decor is Safari like with large palms, earth tones & bamboo. The sun warms & brightens the dinning room. Safari inspired stools line the restaurant length bar across from the dinning room. The Oceancliff hotel is a place that is very dear to my heart, I said "I do" to my soul mate here. We enjoyed a prix fixe lunch during Newport restaurant week. I enjoyed the potato soup, open face turkey with cranberry & pumpkin creme brulee. My hubby loved his fresh salad with apples & pecans, short rib, & the bread pudding. A very tasty, romantic, leisurely lunch is exactly what was needed! After wards we walked around the property and soaked up the sunny, ocean breezes.
(5)Jenn P.
I am surprised this place only has a few reviews thus far,,, I was vacationing back east with a friend and spent the last leg of my trip in Newport RI. This restaurant was recommended by the concierge at our hotel so we decided to give it a shot. After 30 minutes of winding roads through an upscale neighborhood we came across the Oceancliff, the hotel and event venue that has the Safari Room. The restaurant has a great location. While there is a pseudo indoors section (A roof, but no walls) they have an amazing patio that offers a fantastic view of the water. The airy, open, dimly lit setting makes the restaurant seem like something you would see, well on a safari haha. We were seated promptly and started with some drinks. The mojito was excellent and my friend said the white wine was nice as well. They start you with a basic bread basket served with olive oil, parmesan, and butter. Nothing spectacular, but hey its bread. For starters I had the lobster bisque which was excellent and served with actual large chunks of main lobster. As my main course I had one of the specials. A Chilean sea bass with asparagus, served on a bed of brown rice. While good, it didn't blow me away. The chili style sauce they served on the sea bass was a bit odd. My friend had the lobster mac and cheese and loved it. Our server was a younger gentlemen who looked about high school age, but he was extremely nice and continually checked up on us. My only complaint about this restaurant was that I left with a good 20 mosquito bites. My friend jokingly told everyone I had contracted chicken pox (Very funny) While I know this is not necessarily the restaurants fault, there are a number of things they could try/do to reduce this problem. Overall, I liked Safari room. If I ever find myself in RI again, I would come back.
(4)TJ S.
The view and atmosphere is fantastic. The food had been on the great side as far as I can remember, but lately, I noticed that the service has been dicey lately. Perhaps that is because of the wedding receptions that was being held at the same time, where most of the staff are diverted from the dining area. I hope that is not the general trend. My faves are the lump crab cakes with jicama slaw, and the chorizo and littleneck clams - the quintessential RI dishes.
(3)Tawana B.
Great service,awesome views. Crab cakes and cheese board were awesome. Nice place to stop in between lunch and dinner. They offer nice combo plates of food and wine pairings. Hard to get a reservation but we walked in and got a table right away.
(4)Amber A.
Everytime I go to Safari Room I love it a little bit more! The first time was for my girlfriends birthday, I had called ahead made reservations and asked the hostess to make sure the check was not dropped at the table and to know I was going to slip her a Tiffany & Co box for them to incorporate with her dessert of choice. Unfortunately the host that was on the night I came was not aware and didnt end up taking the card nor box. I had to "go to the bathroom" just to make sure my server was aware. The food was absolutely amazing, I had steak, the margarita pizza and penne with pomodoro sauce, dessert was excellent, blueberry cheesecake! The overall experience was excellent but the lack of communication for the surprise I had was eery. Kirk is an amazing server and his diversity makes the Safari Room excellent! Just make sure you tell them you're in a hurry or else everything will be laid back and relaxed.
(4)Timothy M.
Worst mojito in my entire life. I don't think it was anything but line seltzer water. It wasn't muddled either. Bloody Mary below par. Clam chowda was cold and tasted like Cisco canned chowda. Crab cakes were good but the service was below par. I had 3 drinks trying to search for at least one good drink alas they were lacking. Bartenders need some serious training.
(1)Melissa M.
You can't beat the gorgeous Narragansett Bay views while having drinks and apps on the deck at The Safari Room. Bobby, took great care of my husband and I while we reminisced about our recent wedding at Oceancliff, and saw some familiar faces that made our special day so perfect! So many great things to say about OC and The Safari Room, we will definitely be back to enjoy the service, food & views!
(4)Stacey K.
Large portions,great view and good service! A little over priced but a good options if you want to stay near the hotel.
(4)Jason B.
Beautiful views especially for sunset, both out on the terrace or under the awning. Understandably, this place primarily is for wedding or events, but if I had a wedding or event, I probably would be just as disappointed, except for the views. Went on 7/29, a weekday evening and it was not really busy, maybe a little over a dozen tables were seated and there was a small corporate function inside. It seemed to have plenty of staff. Waited over 10 minutes for our server to come by initially, waited another 20 minutes for cocktails and over 15 minutes for Crab cake appetizer which was very good and worth it. Rob, our server was unfortunately awkward and ill-trained in semi-fine dining, shirt hanging out, unbuttoned like it was a club. Not meaning to be pretentious, but standards should not allow this when working with the public. Rob is handsome, but some more training with details in the menu if he is to do more than serve banquet-style. Hopefully this is not the norm here. Entree quality (Salmon and Ahi Tuna) was good, but just that,.... passable. Decent size portion, but I like to cook and am not trained in culinary arts, I could have easily done the same sauces at home, or better, Not worth the $30 price, but I guess you are paying for the location. Probably will return and give it another chance for lunch, however.
(3)Holly S.
Pretzel stick were described to me as sticks of dough, I was hysterical. Bartender was cute, might need to brush up on his culinary views though! They were ok, the tips of each one were hard but inside soft enough I guess. But was there for the drinks anyway! That was just fine thanku very much!
(4)Frank S.
I took my children (12 and 14) for the Thursday night steak special ($20 for 16 oz sirloin steak and fries!). The food was fabulous and the waiter was prepared to address their food allergies based on a comment I left on my Open Table reservation. It is so nice not to have to explain everything twice. The waiter was attentive, but it too.. Of course, the view was superb. Keep up the good work Safari Room.
(5)Jane H.
If they didn't have this setting going for them, it'd probably be a 3. But they DO have this setting. Small section of lawn down to the water w/Adirondack chairs. You can sit outside to eat in all kinds of weather as you're under a large covered....pavilion I guess is the best way to explain it. So pretty. Food was good, not great. Prices are in line w/the area and menu.
(4)Phyllis M.
Went to The Safari Room for Restaurant Week. Food was amazing large portions.I had the roasted beet and granny Apple salad. Broiled lamb chops, hubby had calamari seared George's bank sea scallops. We both had strawberry vanilla bean and basil tart. Service was great, they also offered discounted bottles of wine. Good experience.
(5)Mac O.
Meh. A tepid three stars. If you want to enjoy upscale cocktails and bar bites in a swanky setting right along Ocean Drive with water views, your options are The Inn at Castle Hill or here, The Safari Room at Oceancliff. In all the years I've been visiting my Newport family, I've never once come to the Safari Room -- and the Grands' house is literally a quarter mile up the road (of all things, it took the wedding of one of husband's rand-o friend's to get me here). It's good to know I wasn't missing out this whole time. The ambiance, views, and drinks just aren't as good as their competitor's. I give them extra credit because no view of the harbor is a *bad* view, but really, that doesn't have a whole lot to do with The Safari Room itself. I'll continue walking the extra five minutes to Castle Hill instead.
(3)Nancy S.
Five plus two and a half equals seven and a half. Then divided by two it equals just enough to push it into the four category. The five is for the view; it is spectacular. So much so that I questioned whether or not I wanted to write this review since I still want to be able to get my favorite seats at the outdoor bar. Two and a half is for the food. Most things are edible but not noteworthy. (Whatever you do, do NOT order the pretzel appetizer though. It is horrid. I'm not sure how anyone can mess up a pretzel but anyways...) The venue is really a banquet hall for weddings, and invariably you'll encounter one on weekend evenings. Timeshare units are also on grounds filled with vacationers. Those groups aside, it is my favorite place to go for a drink on a hot summer night in Newport. No worries about parking and a beautiful setting. I recommend that you go before or after your dinner elsewhere.
(4)Brittany C.
Absolutely gorgeous views. They really can't be beat. The cocktails are inventive and delicious, and the service is quite good. The menu could use a little work--the price point seems a little high for the quality of the food, to be honest. I've ordered an absolutely delicious omelet for lunch, and also had their seared tuna sandwich. The tuna sandwich left a bit to be desired. The tuna was seared well and was flavorful, but the bread overwhelmed the delicate fish, and the inclusion of bacon left me puzzled. Bacon is such a strong flavor...wouldn't you want the fish to shine? Either way, the fries are good :) If you have an afternoon free and want to drink some wine and watch the boats go by, you can't beat The Safari Room.
(3)Alex C.
I came here with my family for our nice meal out on our last night of vacation. The food and wine were good - I ordered the house salad and ahi tuna. The views were spectacular. But I am only giving it three stars because of the service. First of all, we had made a reservation well in advance for 5 people. When we arrived, they seemed surprised that we were 5 instead of 4, and so they just tacked on an extra chair on the corner of a 4 person table. That was annoying for a meal where we planned to have a few courses and splurge, but I could have let that slide. The real problem was with our server. It took about 15 minutes for anyone to come out and take our drink order. Then, every time she would serve us something, she would ask us to pass things around to the other side of the table, rather than walking around to the other side herself. This meant that we were constantly handling glasses, pouring wine, and passing plates around. It was disruptive and not what I would expect for a splurge fancy meal. we had a few bottles of wine and she never came over and topped up glasses, and often we were left sitting with an empty bottle of wine for 10+ minutes at a time. I'm not a very picky person, but when I spend a few hundred dollars on dinner, I expect it not to have to do all the work.
(2)